Fabricated brake beam



y 10, 1956 H. c. CARLSON ETAL 2,753,961

FABRICATED BRAKE BEAM Filed Nov. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ?'T'E?* fi I II I I 51; 51.2 \52 i0 8 J 12 i. a) i2) y 10, 1956 H. c. CARLSON arm. 2,753,961

FABRICATED BRAKE BEAM Filed Noy. 19, 1 951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent FABRICATED BRAKE BEAM Hilding C. Carlson, Hammond, Ind., and John J. Noble, Chicago, 11]., assignors to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 19, 1951, Serial No. 256,994

10 Claims. (Cl. 188228.6)

This invention relates to railway truss type brake beams and more particularly to a beam having a novel mechanical interlock between the truss parts.

Prior art beams of this type have generally been welded or the truss parts have been interconnected by unsatisfactory means such as threaded members.

A primary object of the present invention is to devise an economical brake beam which can be fabricated from standard sections of steel stock and which is capable of withstanding the rigors of railway service.

Another object of the invention is to devise a beam in which the truss parts are mechanically interlocked to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the beam during manufacture and repair thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanical interlock between the brake heads and the ends of the brake beam truss.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide the tension member with locking blocks at the ends thereof and to provide a novel interlock between said blocks and the ends of the compression member, said interlock facilitating assembly and disassembly of the tension and compression members of the truss. In one illustrated embodiment of the invention, the locking blocks are separable with respect to the tension member and in another illustrated embodiment of the invention, the locking blocks are integrally formed on the ends of the tension member.

Still another object of the invention is to prevent wear and damage to the locking blocks by reducing to a minimum all movement thereof, relative to the compression member.

The foregoing objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the specification and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a brake beam embodying a preferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the beam shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the beam shown in Figure 1, illustrating the connection between the truss parts at one end of the beam as well as the connection of a brake head thereto;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views, respectively, on the lines 66, 7-7, and 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the locking block utilized in Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the block;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view of a brake beam embodying a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 12 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 11.

Describing the invention in detail and referring first to ice 2 Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the brake beam illustrated therein comprises a compression member 2 cambered in the usual manner and connected to a tension member 4 by a strut or fulcrum 6 having a lever slot 8 and a pin hole 10 intersecting said slot to accommodate pivotal mounting of an associated brake lever (not shown) therein.

The ends of the compression and tension members 2 and 4 of the brake beam truss are interconnected as hereinafter described in detail and are provided with brake heads 12 adapted for connection in the usual manner to brake shoes (not shown).

Referring now to Figures 3 to 9, .it will be seen that the compression member 2 is preferably formed of standard U-section steel stock and comprises a rear wall 14 as Well as top and bottom webs 16 and 18 projecting forwardly therefrom.

The extremities of the webs 16 and 18 at each end of the beam are provided with abutment surfaces 20 which are preferably coplanar and which are diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the beam so that the surfaces 20 at one end of the beam converge rearwardly thereof with respect to the corresponding surfaces at the opposite end of the beam.

Each end of the compression member rear wall 14 is preferably notched as at 22 and is provided with abutment surfaces 24 above and below said notch. The surfaces 24 are preferably coplanar with the related end surfaces 20 of the webs 16 and 18, and as will be best understood by consideration of Figures 3, 7 and 8, the surfaces 20 and 24 at each end of the beam are preferably approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the tension member 4 at the point of intersection between said center line and the plane of surfaces 20 and 24.

The tension member 4 at each end of the beam extends between the webs 16 and 18 and projects outboardly of the compression member 2. The outboard extremity of the tension member is provided with a head or cap 26, integrally formed therein or removably attached thereto in any convenient manner.

The cap 26 is .in complementary flat face engagement as at 28 with a diagonal outboard surface of a locking block, generally designated 30, the surfaces at 28 being preferably flat and preferably approximately parallel to the surfaces 20 and 24 at that end of the beam. The inboard side of the locking block 30 is provided with diagonal surfaces 32 complementary to and engaged with the related surfaces 20 and 24 of the compression member 2.

The block 30 is provided on its inboard surface 32 with a projection or boss 34 having top and bottom surfaces 36 and 38 snugly fitted between the webs 16 and 18 and approximately complementary to the inner surfaces thereof, as best seen in Figure 5. The boss 34 also comprises substantially vertical shoulders 40 and 42 merging with the respective surfaces 36 and 38 and disposed approximately parallel to the longitudinal center line of the tension member 4 at that point. As best seen in Figure 7, the shoulders 40 and 42 are closely fitted with respect to the compression member wall 14 and are engageable with the forward outboard edge of that wall to substantially prevent rearward movement of the block 30 relative to the compression member 2.

The rear edge of the block is preferably provided with a tongue 44, projecting inboardly of the surfaces 32 and engaged with the rear surface of the compression member web 14 along complementary surfaces of the tongue 44 and web 14 which are preferably substantially flat and parallel to substantially prevent forward movement of the block as will be best understood from a consideration of Figures 3, 6 and 7. The tongue 44 is preferably connected to the boss 34 of the block 30 by a rib 46 which extends through the compression member slot 22 and merges with the boss 34 of the block 30 at a point whereat an opening 48 is formed therethrough to accommodate passage of the tension member 4. At the opposite side of the opening 48, the block 30 is formed with a protuberance as somewhat arcuate in form and adapted to increase metal thickness along the inboard edge of the opening 48. This arrangement affords a compact and unusually strong connection between the tension and compression members 2 and 4 and substantially eliminates all relative movement therebetween by means of the above described novel connection between the block 39 and the compression member 2 which substantially eliminates all relative movement between the block 30 .and compression member 2 when the parts are assembled as illustrated in Figures 3 to 8.

Each brake head 12 comprises a conventional front wall 52 as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 and also comprises the usual keyway 54 (Figure l) for connection in the usual manner to associated key means (not shown) for securing brake shoe means (not shown) against the forward surface of the front wall.

The brake head 12 also comprises novel truss connecting means in the form of top and bottom walls 56 and 58, connected along their forward edges to substantially vertical upper and lower walls 60 and 62, affording bearing for the forward edges of the compression member webs 16 and 18 which are snugly confined between the top and bottom brake head walls 56 and 58. The walls 56 and 58 are formed along the rear edges thereof with inturned flanges or tongues 64 and 66, respectively, overlapping the rear surface of the compression member wall 14 above and below the tongue 44 of the locking block 30, whereby as best seen in Figure 4, the tongue 44 is disposed between the brake head tongues 64 and 66 to afford an unusually compact arrangement in which the tension and compression members are housed within the brake head and are interlocked by the block 30 which dovetails with the brake head tongues 64 and 66 as above described.

As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the brake head 12 also comprises an outboard wall 63 connected to the outboard edges of the walls 60 and 62, the wall 68 having an arcuate socket 70, receiving the protuberance 50 of the block 30. The brake head is also provided with an inboard wall 72 preferably thicker than the wall 68 and having a socket "74 somewhat similar to the socket '70 but formed and arranged to snugly confine the tension member 4 along the abutting forward edge thereof, as best seen in Figure 3. Each of the top and bottom brake head walls 56 and 58 is provided with a substantially coplanar extension or lug 76, as best seen in Figure 3, riveted as at 78 to the related compression member web 16 or 18.

The novel brake beam is particularly adapted to facilitate assembly and disassembly of its component parts. For example, the beam may be assembled by inserting the ends of the tension member 4 through the openings of the block 30 and then sliding the blocks inboardly along the tension member to the assembled position shown in the drawings, whereupon the ends of the tension member may be upset to form the caps 26. Thereafter, the brake heads may he slipped on the ends of the ends of the truss and riveted as at 78. If desired, the truss may be formed by inserting the ends of the tension member through the openings 48 of the blocks 30 before the tension member is bent to the assembled form illustrated in the drawings. The caps 26 may then be formed by upsetting the ends of the tension member and thereafter, the tension member may be bent to approximately the assembled position illustrated, whereat the tongues 44 of the blocks 30 are interlocked against the rear surface of the compression member wall 14. The strut 6 may then be inserted to deform the tension member to the final configuration shown in Figure 1. The brake heads may be applied as above described.

It will be noted that the brake heads may be quickly removed for the purpose of repair or replacement by burning or severing the rivets 73 and slipping the brake heads off the ends of the truss without disturbing the connection between the tension and compression members; and, if desired, these members may be separated by bending the tension member 4 from its normal V-shaped configuration toward a straight line position thereof until the tongues 44 of the blocks 39 are disengaged from the compression member wall 14, whereupon the entire beam may be disassembled. It will be understood that the strut 6 is readily removable at any time to accommodate bending of the tension member 4.

A modified form of the novel brake beam is illustrated in Figures 11 and 12, wherein parts corresponding to those of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 9 are identified by corresponding numerals.

In the modified structure, the brake heads 12 may be identical with those previously described, and the compression member 2 may also be identical except that the slots 22 in the rear wall 14 thereof may be eliminated.

In this embodiment of the invention, each locking block 30 is integrally formed as an upset portion on the end of the tension. member 4. For this reason, the rib 46 and protuberance 50 are eliminated, and the block 30, as best seen in Figure 12, is substantially rectangular in form. As in the previously described embodiment of the invention, the block 30 is formed with a tongue 44 engaged with the rear surface of the compression member wall 14, and the inboard side of the block 30 is formed with a diagonal abutment surface 32, engaging complementary surfaces of the compression member wall 14 and the compression member webs 16 and 18, the block surface 32 and the engaged surfaces of the compression member being approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tension member 4 at the point of intersection between said axis and the plane of the surface 32, as heretofore described in connection with the preceding embodiment.

Thus it will be understood that the invention comprises a novel brake beam wherein a locking block 30 carried by the tension member 4, either separable or integral therewith, is interlocked with the compression member 2 against any substantial movement with respect thereto in the assembled position of the parts. Furthermore, the locking block 30 in each embodiment is provided with a boss 34 housed within the compression member 2. and snugly confined between the top and bottom webs thereof which, in turn, are snugly confined between top and bottom brake head walls having tongues along their rear edges, the tongue 44 of block 3%) being received between the brake head tongue in a dovetailed arrangement with respect thereto, thereby affording an unusual compact and sturdy arrangement which may be quickly assembled and disassembled and which is capable of withstanding the severe impacts and vibrations of railway service.

An important feature of the invention is the form in which the inboard side of the block in each embodiment is engaged with the outboard end of the compression member along surfaces which are approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tension member at this point; in combination with the tongues 44 which bearagainst the rear surface of the compression member. This novel arrangement reduces stresses on the tongues 44 to a minimum inasmuch as tension forces exerted on the tension member 4 are transmitted to the ends of the compression member in such manner that very slight stresses are imposed upon the tongues 44.

We claim:

1. A railway brake beam comprising a V-shaped tension member, a compression member having a rear wall and having top and bottom webs, diagonal surfaces on the outboard extremities of said well and webs, said surfaces extending outboardly and forwardly from the rear side of said wall, locking elements freely separable from the compression member and having portions removably confined between the Webs at respective ends of the beam, said elements having diagonal faces complementary to and removably seated against the surfaces at respective ends of the beam, said faces and surfaces being disposed in planes at respective ends of the beam approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tension member at the points of intersection of said axis with said planes, said tension member being sleeved within said locking elements and having integral ends on the outboard ends of said tension member limiting outboard movement of the elements relative to the tension member, each locking element being provided along the inboard side thereof with a tongue extending inboardly and removably engaged with the rear side of the compression member wall, brake heads detachably connected to the compression member at respective ends of the beam, each brake head having tongues engaging said rear side of the compression member wall above and below the related locking element tongue, and means detachably securing the brake heads to the compression member independently of the latters connection with said elements, whereby upon detachment of the brake heads from the compression member the tension member may be bent toward a straight line configuration thereof to separate the locking member tongues from the rear side of the compression member wall and to separate said faces from said surfaces thereby accommodating removal of the tension member and locking elements from the compression member.

2. A railway brake beam truss comprising a U-section compression member having a rear wall and top and bottom webs projecting forwardly therefrom, a V-shaped tension member having diagonal end portions extending between said webs, means for connecting said end portions to the compression member comprising locking elements sleeved over the tension member, said elements being removably engaged with and readily separable from respective ends of the compression member, said tension member having heads engaged with said elements at the outboard sides thereof to limit outboard movement of the elements with respect to the tension member, said elements having inboardly projecting tongues removably engaged with the rear wall along its rear surface, and means on the compression member for detachably connecting associated brake heads independently of the connections between said locking elements and said members whereby upon detachment of said brake heads from the truss the tension member may be bent toward a straight line position thereof to release the tongues from their engagement with said rear surface and thereby accommodate removal of the tension member and locking blocks from the compression member.

3. A railway brake beam truss comprising a U-section compression member having a rear wall and having top and bottom webs projecting forwardly therefrom, substantially coplanar abutment surfaces on the wall and webs at respective ends of the compression member converging rearwardly thereof, locking members readily separable from said compression member, said locking members removably engaging said surfaces and having means removably engaged with the rear surface of the rear wall, a tension member sleeved through openings of said locking members, said tension member being V-shaped as seen in top plan view and having heads engaged with the locking members to limit outboard movement thereof relative to the tension member whereby the tension member may be bent toward a straight line position thereof to release said means from said rear surface and to release said locking members from said abutment surfaces and thereby accommodate removal of the tension member and locking members from the compression member.

4. A brake beam truss, according to claim 3, wherein the locking members are provided with bosses snugly confined between the compression member webs and readily removable therefrom.

5. A brake beam truss, according to claim 4, wherein the bosses are provided with substantially vertical surfaces engageable with and readily removable from the forward surface of the compression member rear wall to substantially prevent movement of the locking members rearwardly with respect thereto.

6. A railway brake beam truss comprising a U-section compression member having a rear wall and having upper and lower webs projecting therefrom, said webs having surfaces at opposite ends of the beam diverging forwardly thereof, locking blocks readily separable from said compression member, said blocks having inboard faces complementary to the respective surfaces and releasably seated thereagainst, tongues on said blocks releasably engaging the rear side of said wall, a V-shaped tension member sleeved through said blocks and having heads seated against the outboard sides thereof to limit outboard movement of the blocks relative to the tension member, the longitudinal axis of the tension member at the intersection of said axis with the planes of the respective surfaces being approximately perpendicular thereto whereby the tension member may be bent toward a straight line position thereto to release said tongues from the rear side of said wall and to release said faces from said surfaces thereby accommodating removal of the tension member and locking blocks from the compression member.

7. A brake beam truss, according to claim 6, wherein the blocks are integrally connected to the tension member.

8. A railway brake beam truss comprising a compression member having end surfaces converging rearwardly thereof, a V-shaped tension member, locking members readily separable from said compression member, said locking members having openings receiving portions of the tension member and having faces complementary to and removably engaged with respective surfaces, the tension member being interlocked with the locking members against outboard movement thereof relative to the tension member, and tongues on the locking members removably engaging rearwardly facing surfaces of the compression member whereby the tension member may be bent toward a straight line configuration thereof to release said tongues from said rearwardly facing surfaces thereby accommodating removal of the tension member and locking members from the compression member.

9. A railway brake beam comprising a truss including a compression member having flat substantially vertical end surfaces at opposite ends thereof converging rearwardly of the beam, a V-shaped tension member housed at its ends within the compression member, locking blocks readily separable from said compression member and having openings receiving portions of the tension member, means on the tension member limiting movement of the locking blocks outboardly with respect thereto, said locking blocks having substantially vertical faces complementary to and releasably engaged with the respective compression member surfaces, said locking blocks having means releasably engaging the rear side of the compression member to prevent forward movement of the locking blocks relative thereto, and means on the compression member for attaching associated brake heads independently of the connections between said blocks and said members, whereby upon detachment of said brake heads said tension member may be bent toward a straight line position thereof to release said faces from said surfaces and to release said engaging means from the rear side of the compression member thereby accommodating removal of the tension member and locking blocks from the compression member.

10. A railway brake beam comprising a compression member having a rear wall and spaced webs projecting forwardly therefrom, locking blocks detachably interlocked with the ends of said webs against movement of said blocks inboardly, forwardly, rearwardly, upwardly, downwardly and rotatably with respect to the compres- '7 sion member, said blocks being freely movable outboardly with respect to the ends of the compression member, and a tension member having rearwardly diverging ends projecting between the webs and connected with the locking blocks, whereby the locking blocks may be released from the compression member by bending the tension member to move the locking blocks outboardly from engagement With the ends of the compression member, said compression member having means for detachably securing associated brake heads to said compression member independently of its connection to said blocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Burgess Ian. 31, Baker Apr. 16, Haskell Apr. 18, Busch May 10, Ekholm July 24, 

